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Disclaimer: The lists here are not exhaustive. They contain companies and sites that have a good a reputation in the woodworking community, based on informal observation of magazines, forums, blogs, and my own experience. There are no doubt others who should be listed.

These links deal specifically with wood toxicity and allergies. Not a happy subject, but one you should be aware of. Allergic reactions can cause serious health problems. They can be caused by simple skin contact, dust inhalation, or dust in the eyes, both brief and long-term. This also includes fungi present in wood.

These specialty companies (ranging from one-man operations on up) currently manufacture hand tools. Some of their items are more expensive due to their low-volume specialized market, but are usually worth it. Customer service is generally outstanding; they genuinely care about their products and their customers.

Lie-Nielsen Toolworks: Planes, chisels, saws, and instructional videos. I have to admit to being extremely partial to them. These are premium tools: excellent design, materials, and workmanship. A suitable benchmark against which to measure your other tools. While expensive, a beginning woodworker wouldn't go wrong by pulling out the credit card and ordering everything needed from them.

Forums are great places to ask questions about all aspects of woodworking. They often constitute vast bodies of knowledge accessible through search functions. The participants are happy to respond and share their knowledge, though discussions and differing opinions can get heated. Some of the people should be listed as national treasures, they know so much and are able to convey it so well. Some well known names in the woodworking community can be found on them as well. While I've focused on the hand tool forums, there are other forums at these sites, such as turning, carving, and power tools.

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About Me

I'm a software engineer and woodworking hobbyist in central Massachusetts. "Hobbyist" means I'm free to spend unlimited amounts of time, energy, and money without expecting any return on my investment. I'm a firm believer in see one, do one, teach one.